CHiap. 4.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 393 



tion of the Psylli\ aud above them again the Lake of Lyco- 

 medes", surrounded with deserts. The Augyla? themselves 

 are situate ahnost midway between Ethiopia which faces 

 the west^, and the region which lies between'' the two Syrtes, 

 at an equal distance from both. The distance along the 

 coast that lies between the two Syrtes is 250 miles. On it 

 are found the city of (Ea^, the river Cinyps^, and the country 

 of that name, the towns of Neapolis'', Graphara^, and Abroto- 

 num**, and the second, surnamed the Greater, Leptis^". 



AVe next come to the Greater Syrtis, 625 miles in cir- 

 cumference, and at the entrance 312 miles in width ; next 

 after which dwells the nation of the Cisippades. At the 

 bottom of this gulf was the coast of the Lotophagi, whom 

 some writers have called the Alachroae*\ extending as far as 

 the Altars of the Phila^ni^- ; these Altars are formed of heaps 



^ For an account of the Psylli see B. vii. c. 2, They probably dwelt 

 in the vicinitr of the luodera Cape Mesurata. 



- Xow Lake Lynxama, according to Marcus. 



3 Marcus observes that in order properly to understand this passage we 

 must remember that the ancients considered Africa as terminating north 

 of the Equator, and imagined that from the Straits of Hercules the western 

 coast of Africa ran, not towards the south-west, but slanted in a south- 

 easterly direction to the Straits of Babehnandel. ^ The modem Tripoli. 



' A iiourishing city with a mixed population of Libyans and Sicihans. 

 It was at this place that Apuleius made his eloqtrcnt and ingenious de- 

 fence against the charge of sorcery brought against liim by his step-sons. 

 AccorcUng to some writers the modem Tripoli is built on its site, wliile 

 other accoimts make it to have been situate six leagues from that city. 



^ iS'ow called the W'ady-el-Quaham. 



" ]\lannert is of opinion that this was only another name for the city 

 of Leptis ^[agna or the "Greater Leptis" here mentioned by Pliny. 

 There is little doubt that his supposition is correct. 



** The more common reading is Taplu*a or Taphara. D'Anville iden- 

 tifies it witli the to\m of Sfakes. 



^ Scylax identifies it with Neapolis or Leptis, and it is generally looked 

 upon as being the same place as Sabrata or OKI Tripoli. 



1" Now called Lebida. It was the birth-place of the Emperor Sep- 

 timius Severus. It was almost destroyed by an attack from a Lilnan 

 tribe a.d. 366, and its ruin was completed by tlie mvasion of the Arabs. 

 Its ruins are considerable. 



11 " Men of sea complexion," is the meaning of this Greek name. Ac- 

 cording to Marcus they dwelt bctwivii the (Jreater Leptis niul tlie Lake 

 Trit(mis, at the present day called Schihkali-el-Loudeah. For a further 

 account of tlie Lotophagi, see L. xiii. c. 32. 



12 Two brothers, citizens of Carthagi', who in a dispute as to tiicir 



